The Spartans, 3-2 after a loss to Ohio State, will square off against No. 6 Oregon Friday night in the first Big Ten matchup between the two schools. The game will add to a long history between Smith and the Ducks.

In 1998, the young Oregon State walk-on quarterback Smith took the field against a nationally ranked Oregon team in the rivalry known as the "Civil War." Smith put up over 300 yards passing and two touchdowns, sealing a 44-41 overtime victory for Oregon State. This kickstarted the success of Oregon State football in the early 2000s and began Smith’s storied legacy in Corvallis. 

Now, 26 years after the Beavers stunned Parker Stadium in Eugene, Smith and Oregon meet again, this time under different circumstances.

“When you look at Oregon, they have an explosive offense and a solid defense,” Smith said at a press conference Monday. “From game one to game four, those guys have continued to improve. So, big-time challenge, tough atmosphere. These are the types of games you love playing.”

The 2023 disbanding of the PAC-12 sent many teams scrambling to find a new conference. This opened the doors of the Big Ten, which accepted four new teams, one of them being Oregon. 

Last December, Smith also left the PAC-12 to coach at Michigan State.

Since the game in 1998, a Smith-versus-Oregon matchup has become a familiar fixture in college football, one that will continue in future Big Ten matchups between MSU and the Ducks.

As a player, Smith faced off against the Ducks four times, winning twice. As a coach, he’s 5-8 against Oregon with just one win in Eugene.

“I’ve been through this before,” Smith said. “It's not just myself, either. We have some other guys with connections.”

After leaving Oregon State in 2023, Smith brought six on-field coaches and three players with him to East Lansing. One of those players is MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles, the centerpiece of Smith's new-look Spartans. 

“A lot of those (Oregon) dudes, they take this game personal,” Chiles said. “And honestly, I do too, especially because of where I came from.” 

In a game where Oregon is favored by three possessions, knowing its foe could be helpful for MSU as it looks to shock the college football world. 

“Obviously, their schemes the last couple of years have been consistent, and so we've studied and game planned against it,” Smith said. “And that's a two-way street. Same with us offensively. The offenses aren't exactly the same year in and year out. They're always developing.”

While Smith gears up for his 18th meeting with Oregon, the Ducks' head coach Dan Lanning will face MSU for the first time. The offensive-minded Smith and defensive-minded Lanning will coach head-to-head for the third straight year in a row. In 2022, Smith got the best of Lanning as Oregon State won 38-34. In 2023, Oregon won 31-7 in Eugene. 

MSU is the more battle-tested team entering Friday. Outside of beating No. 21 Boise State, Oregon's competition to this point has been bleak. MSU has faced a tougher schedule and shown competitiveness against teams like Boston College and No. 3 Ohio State.

While the Spartans may be more battle tested, winning in an environment like Autzen Stadium is a tall task for any team.

“It's an awesome atmosphere to play in,” MSU offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren said. “And I know from a coaching experience that it’s gonna be loud. It's an awesome opportunity for our team to go and play in that deal on Friday night.”

The Spartans take on Oregon Friday, Oct. 4th at 9 p.m. at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. The game will be televised on FOX.